What a weekend! The Riley family traveled the 230 or so miles to Enid, Oklahoma to hear Paul Burleson preach at Emmanuel Baptist Church, where Paul’s son, Wade, pastors. As I had written here some time ago, Emmanuel helped send us to the University of the Nations and we were able to say “thank you” and meet Paul and Mary Burleson for the first time (other than on the blogs). These pictures are taken on our new Digital Rebel, which we were able to get this Christmas because of Paul.Â
As you might imagine, having the opportunity of hearing a man preach who has been in the pastoral ministry for forty years was incredible. And, he was beginning a series on a subject he knows all too well: “What I Wish I’d Known Then (1967 – Forty Years Ago)” with today’s sermon being on “What I Believed Then.” Now, when he reads what I write here he will probably realize how dense I am because I will butcher the sermon with my synopsis of it; nonetheless, I want to say that I was ministered to by being a part of today’s worship service at Emmanuel Baptist Church.
After showing pictures of Wade as an infant (including the gratuitous potty shot), and at his 20th birthday (complete with mustache, long hair, a ballcap and Paul saying “Now that’s a redneck”…how I wish I’d thought to take a picture of the picture), he showed Wade as he was when Paul graduated seminary at the age of 5. All of the pictures brought out a lot of laughter from the congregation. His primary text was from 1 Corinthians 13:12 where we learn that we really don’t see things too clearly now and won’t until Christ returns.
We then heard how Paul believed that in 1967 he knew (1) what sin was all about, (2) what marriage was all about, and (3) what unity was all about. He frequently gave hilarious quips such as “marriage is about two becoming one… and I am the one.” Or, “unity means we’ll get along as long as you agree with me.” They are hilarious today, but I am sure Mary and others struggled with such beliefs in 1967. He noted that when he got married to Mary (who was beautiful and sitting in the front row with her sister and brother in law) he had memorized all he needed to know about marriage: Genesis 3:16. “To the woman He said: … Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you.” He then noted that we might not be surprised that the first 10-15 years of their marriage was very rocky, of course, because Mary hadn’t learned the biblical concept of submission. I’m still smiling. I really enjoyed what he followed that with: He said that of course his marriage still has its moments and struggles and that “if your marriage doesn’t have struggles then one of you isn’t necessary!”
Paul admitted that in his early years as a pastor he taught that sin was all about missing the mark, consistent with the biblical picture of sin. But, his mark was a list of religious do’s and don’t’s rather than God’s glory and His word. It was based on baptist tradition and what others whom he admired believed, not what the bible said; he sees today where he was making personal applications of the scripture as authoritative as the scripture itself and making form as sacred and authoritative as the function. I’ve never done that… LOL. I wish.
He noted that many of the beliefs were good beliefs and not a problem in and of themselves. He also admitted that many people he knows and loves hold such beliefs today. But, what he today knows was the problem within himself was that he believed that any disagreement with his beliefs was evidence of a lack of faith and demonstrated that a person was a bad Christian (or perhaps not one at all). He used his lists and beliefs as a basis for judgment against all others even though many of the beliefs were not borne from a biblical foundation.Â
I regret I will not see the rest of the series in person, but I do hope to catch it over at Wade’s blog. He will continue to teach how change is possible where the grace of God is discovered and the truth of scripture stands above tradition. He also hoped that the teachings will help us apply the reality of Christ to every aspect of our lives and thereby live life to the fullest, where every act of life is a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to the One worthy of worship.
What a great day of worship it was today. Â
